Østfold     Østfold fylke (which was called "Smaalenene amt" until 1 January 1919) is located in south-eastern Norway, between Oslo and the Swedish border. In 1999 the county had a popoulation of 246,028. Geographically the county is predominantly low plains, with excellent farm land and much forest.     Østfold includes such towns as Askim, Fredrikstad, Halden, Moss, Sarpsborg, and Spydeberg, and the river Glomma runs through the center of the county.     The city of Moss, which is the capital of the county, is a port on the Oslofjord. It is a commercial, industrial, and tourist center, with shipyards, sawmills, textile factories, metalworks, and breweries. On 14 August 1814 the convention establishing the union of Sweden and Norway was signed there. You can find more information about this fylke on the web site Welcome to CultureNet Østfold.

1. Genealogy organizations

DIS Østfold is a local chapter of the Norwegian genealogy organization DIS Norge. (In Norwegian only).

Østfoldlaget - is an organization of Norwegian-Americans whose ancestors came from Østfold. Their activies include an annual stevne as well as genealogy workshops.

Borge og Torsnes Historielag - local history association for Borge and Torsnes area. (In Norwegian only)

Skjeberg Historielag - local history association for Skjeberg area. (In Norwegian only)

Moss Family History Society (Moss Ættehistorielag) has an English version of their web site!

Rygge Historielag - local history association for Rygge area ( in Norwegian only).

Historielag i �stfold - from DIS-Norge, this web site lists all of the local history association for �stfold, including the ones that only have snail-mail addresses.

NOR-OSTFOLD-L is a mailing list for anyone with a genealogical interest in the county of Østfold.

2. Østfold resources

Census records

• Østfold census records & more (listed by municipality) from the Digitalarkivet at the University of Bergen. You can also search nationwide by going to the Digitalarkivet home page or by using the links below.
• 1664-1666 Census for Nedre Borgsyssel deanery from Digitalarkivet at the University of Bergen.
• 1801 census - Østfold from Digitalarkivet at the University of Bergen.
• 1865 census - Østfold from Digitalarkivet at the University of Bergen. Also available at The Norwegian Historical Data Centre (RHD) at the University of Tromsø
• 1875 census (incomplete) from The Norwegian Historical Data Centre (RHD) at the University of Tromsø. The 1875 census for Moss is also available at the Digitalarkivet.
• 1900 census - Østfold from Digitalarkivet at the University of Bergen. Also available at The Norwegian Historical Data Centre (RHD) at the University of Tromsø
• Other Østfold census records (none currently online) from Digitalarkivet at the University of Bergen.

Other records (Some links may not include information for this county):

• Tax lists, Tax censuses, and lists of landed property rent from Digitalarkivet at the University of Bergen.
• Military rolls from Digitalarkivet at the University of Bergen.
• Church registers from Digitalarkivet at the University of Bergen.
• Emigration records from Digitalarkivet at the University of Bergen.
• Probate registers from Digitalarkivet at the University of Bergen. See also Skifteregister - (Probate registers) at The Norwegian Historical Data Centre (RHD) at the University of Tromsø (Very few are available online).
• Fire assessment registers from Digitalarkivet at the University of Bergen.
• Citizenship (Borgerskap) records from Digitalarkivet at the University of Bergen.
• Other records from Digitalarkivet at the University of Bergen.
• The Digital Inn from Digitalarkivet at the University of Bergen.
• 1886 Matrikkelen from The Norwegian Historical Data Centre (RHD) at the University of Tromsø
• 1950 Matrikkelen from Dokumentasjonsprosjektet (in Norwegian only).

 
 
• See also Østfold kilder from the web site Slektshistoriske kilder 1500-1900 from the Norwegian genealogy organization DIS-Norge. This web site has extensive links to various genealogy databases for each fylke in Norway. (In Norwegian with some English).

 

Bygdebooks

• Østfold bygdebooks is a list of the bygdebooks that cover various areas in Østfold. (Updated 01 October 2002).

LDS Family History Library online catalog

• The LDS Family History Library Catalog is now on the Internet. The link is to the "Place search" page of the web site. In addition, don't forget the International Genealogical Index (IGI) and the other databases available on the LDS web site.
  
• To make your search a little easier, I have created a list of clerical districts and parishes in Østfold.

3. Østfold kommuner

The following are the current kommuner (municipalities) of Østfold:

 

4. Østfold maps

Small interactive map of Norway - shows where Østfold is located. Click on Østfold and you can see a small map of Østfold showing the kommune (municipalities) of this fylke.

Large map of Østfold from the Norway List web site. Kommune names are underlined.

5. Østfold genealogy query pages

Østfold queries from Rootsweb.com's "Norway Message Board".

Slektsforskerbasen from DIS-Norge - a list of more than 5,000 genealogists who are researching their Norwegian ancestors. Sorted by kommune (municipality).

[email protected] mailing list archives is another often overlooked resource. You can search the archive to find out if others are researching the same families or places in Norway, and then contact them.
 
 

6. Østfold museums

Culture Net Østfold has links to museums in Østfold, as well as addresses of museums that do not have web sites.

7. Miscellaneous Østfold web sites

Østfold County photoghraphy archive is in Norwegian only, but you can inquire about purchasing copies of photographs taken from the air of various farms in the county! For details about the purchase of photos, contact the county via e-mail at [email protected] or by snail-mail to:

Østfold fylkes billedarkiv
Fylkeshuset
Postboks 220
1701 Sarpsborg
Norway

Welcome to Halden - information about Halden, Aremark, and Fredriksten fortress.

Talberg - history and family at the farm Talberg nedre in Skjeberg

Arne Kristian Aarum's home page with family tree and information about the farm Årum Østre. (In Norwegian only)